1947年2月27日傍晚,台北市延平北路發生因專賣局人員查緝私煙誤傷路人致死事件。28日中午過後,大批群眾由台北專賣總局轉往台灣省行政長官公署抗議,抗議過程中發生行政長官公署衛兵開槍,造成民眾傷亡,隨後槍擊事件透過電台傳播,引發群眾全面性暴動,史稱「二二八事件」。事件發生後,群眾藉機要求政治改革。行政長官陳儀電告蔣介石,蔣介石最後派兵平亂,「二二八事件」終以悲劇收場,國軍登台後全省底定,事件告終。當時擔任台灣省警備總司令部參謀長的柯遠芬,實為負責處理此一事件的主要人物,是以柯遠芬處理「二二八事件」時所持之態度,高度影響整起事件發展。柯遠芬於「二二八事件」後發表〈事變十日記〉一文,刊登於《台灣新生報》,記載整起事件經過。然事隔多年後,對照柯遠芬日後所發表之言論,彼此似有諸多扞格不入之處。本研究主要以柯遠芬所撰〈事變十日記〉為主,參照柯遠芬日後所發表的〈台灣二二八事變真像〉和〈柯遠芬先生口述〉訪談紀錄,佐以中央研究院近代史研究所編《二二八事件資料選輯》、國史館編《二二八事件檔案彙編》、蔣中正總統檔案(大溪檔案)等史料,對柯遠芬處理「二二八事件」時之決策過程與事實真相進行重新探討。
The banning of untaxed cigarettes on the night of 27^(th) February, 1947 was the main cause of the February 28^(th) Incident. In the next morning, the demonstrations marched to the Tobacco Monopoly Bureau in Taipei, and turned to the Taiwan Governor-General's Office for petition at noon. The guards opened fire and hurt some people. It made the situation critical. The news was broadcasted over the entire island. Riots occurred everywhere. The event is also called the February 28^(th) Incident. People wondered what happened in the chief of staff of the Taiwan Provincial Garrison Command Ke Yuan-fen's decision. This is a subject matter should be probed into. It is necessary to make an investigation for the truth of the Ke Yuan-fen's decision during the February 28^(th) Incident. This article is an attempt to make such an analytical study through the Ke Yuan-fen's diary and Ke Yuan-fen's writings.